A Black Cat's Secret
by Ms Sherlock Holmes
Summary: Another MJ story at ZanesLittleGirl15's request. Crysta got more than she bargained for when she was hired to work for Michael Jackson.


**Please read: I gave John Landis a MAJOR personality adjustment so please don't think he's like that because he's not.**

The dancers were stretching and practicing their dance moves. They were hired to perform Michael Jackson _Black or White_ music video and, frankly, they couldn't be more excited. Among them was young twenty-nine year old Crysta Williams.

Crysta tied her waist-length, dirty blond hair into a ponytail. As she did so, her hazel blue eyes scanned the room, hardly believing that it was all true. All her life she had dreamt to dance for Michael Jackson and she had managed to make that dream a reality. She couldn't ask for anything more.

She had been out for a jog when she received the call. She came back to a message that said to call Michael's company as soon as she could. When she did, it was then she was told that she had been picked out from the ten thousand people who had auditioned. When she hung up, she screamed her heart out with joy.

Crysta was showing a fellow dancer how to moonwalk when John Landis came in the room. John was the video's director and everyone enjoyed working with him; his sense of humor was highly amusing. Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to him.

"All right, everyone, listen up! We brought in a black panther for the video and he's a beauty!" John announced, spreading his hands in front of him.

A whisper of excitement rose among the dancers and Crysta's curiosity aroused. She loved black panthers all her life and the idea of being close to one was amazing. She was hoping to receive an opportunity to study it.

"Now, we're going to film it in action and I want you all to come with me. It's just a small scene but I want you to see," John continued. "Let's go!"

"All right!" Marc exclaimed, the dancer Crysta was showing how to moonwalk, as John left.

They each followed the director at turn, Crysta in the lead. She didn't what excited her most: being able to see an exotic animal up close or finally be able to see Michael Jackson face to face. Now all she had to do was figure out what she'll say to him…

* * *

They arrived on the set and as John joined the camera crew, the dancers looked at the place in awe. There were lights, cameras and people everywhere. Everyone was bustling about, trying to get everything ready before Michael got there. Crysta searched for him eagerly, excited to meet the man she has admired for so long.

One of the crew members suddenly came out with a large black panther at her heels. The other members acted as if they took no notice but the dancers all gasped in shock.

"Why isn't that thing on a leash?" Leah exclaimed, gripping Crysta's arm.

"Do we know? And besides, it's not doing anything," Zac replied.

Crysta was inclined to agree. She looked at the panther again but noticed that there was something different this time around. John was whispering in the panther's ear and the panther was nodding its head at his words. What's more was that the feline had a humane look in its eyes, like a human. Crysta shook her head, classifying the sight as a figment of her imagination.

John went to go sit in the director's chair and the panther took its place on the set. Its bright yellow eyes scanned the room and they landed on Crysta, who gave a slight jump. To make things even more strange, Crysta could've sworn that the panther _smiled at her_. She quickly adverted her eyes and focused on Leah's panicking antics, trying to convince herself that what she saw was just an illusion.

"All right, quiet on the set!" John yelled. "And…action!"

The cameras started rolling and the panther just sat there, watching the people work around it. To Crysta's amazement, it got on its feet and walked across the set without anyone calling it. It surreptitiously moved out and stopped at the other set that has been built next to this one.

"And…cut!" John called out. "Beautiful! We'll film the last part with the feline tomorrow. Today, we really need to do the scenes with Michael and his dancers."

Leah stopped fretting and she and the other dancers went off to put on their costumes. Crysta lingered a bit as she realized that the panther was suddenly gone. She sighed and turned around, smacking straight into someone. She felt a pair of strong arms go around her, straightening her, and she heard a low chuckle. Crysta slowly looked up and her eyes nearly jumped out their sockets as she realized that she fell into the arms of Michael Jackson himself.

"Be careful. I wouldn't want a pretty young thing like you getting hurt," he said kindly.

Crysta took a hasty step back and stared at Michael from head to toe, lost for words. He simply stood in front of her, smiling and looking a bit amused.

"I-I'm so sorry, Mr Jackson!" Crysta stammered nervously.

"It's all right, my dear. Oh, and call me Michael," Michael replied. "What is your name?"

"C-Crysta…" Crysta trailed off weakly.

"It's nice to meet you, Crysta," Michael said, taking her hand.

He brought it to his lips and kissed it. Crysta's cheeks burned and she shyly looked down, not believing her good fortune.

"Well, I think you should join the others and put on your costume," Michael said. "Filming starts in ten minutes."

"Yes, o-of course," Crysta replied, dazed.

She took her hand back and walked past him, her heart pounding against her chest. She heard Michael laugh softly and she couldn't help but smiled. If he was like this all the time, she had a feeling that the experience will be even greater.

* * *

Crysta walked down the hallways late at night, bag slung over her shoulder. Filming the video lasted late due to John's and occasionally Michael's tweaking of the script. She was searching inside her bag for her keys when she heard noise coming from the rehearsal room. Curious, Crysta peaked inside.

The black panther was in the room, prowling in front of the mirror. Crysta stifled a gasp and looked around the hallway, searching for someone. She knew that the panther couldn't just roam around free and she looked inside the room again to make sure that she didn't imagine it. What she saw nearly made her faint.

The panther had gotten onto its hind legs and transformed into a man. And not just any man either, no, it transformed into Michael Jackson. Crysta slammed herself against the wall and she pressed her hands against her mouth, stifling a scream. Now she understood why the panther seemed so human; it was Michael. She didn't know what to do. Should she tell someone or keep her mouth shut? Most likely the second option because the first one would make her look crazy. Crysta took a few deep breaths, her eyes closed. Maybe she had just overdone it today and was exhausted.

Crysta opened her eyes and found, much to her horror, Michael standing in front of her. He pressed the palms of his hands against the wall on each side of her, encaging her in his arms to prevent her from escaping. Crysta shrunk a bit and glanced around the corridor, hoping to find someone.

"You saw," Michael said. It wasn't a question. Knowing that she couldn't lie, Crysta nodded.

"Come with me," Michael continued.

He took her hand and led her down the hallways. Feeling helpless, Crysta followed, not even bothering to fight.

They arrived in his dressing room and Michael closed the door. He motioned Crysta to sit and she obeyed, feeling nervous. He sat down in front of her and eyed her for a few seconds.

"Look, I won't deny what you saw. Yes, I can transform into a black panther. Don't ask me how or why, I don't know: I've always been this way," Michael said.

Crysta said nothing.

"Only John knows about this," he continued, "and it wasn't in my plans to have anyone else find out. There's only one thing that I can do now."

"W-What would that be?" Crysta asked, slightly afraid.

"I need you to promise me that you won't tell anyone. The press will have a field day if they knew," Michael replied.

Crysta breathed a sigh of relief.

"Is that all?" she asked.

"Yes. Please promise me that you won't say _anything_," Michael pleaded.

"I promise," Crysta said sincerely.

"Thank you," Michael replied, sounding relieved. "You may go."

Crysta was surprised to receive the jail-free card so quickly but didn't argue. She got to her feet and headed out. She had just opened the door when she heard Michael say, "John likes you, you know."

Crysta spun around. "Does he?" she asked, perplexed.

"Uh-huh. I can tell just by the way he looks at you," Michael replied, giving her a smug smile.

"Oh, _great_…" Crysta said under her breath.

She turned around and walked away. While doing so, she heard Michael call out, "Don't break his heart too harshly!" She giggled.

* * *

A few days passed and they were extremely busy. Michael, Crysta learned, was quite the perfectionist. But she rather enjoyed how seriously he took his work and out of respect for him, she kept his secret in the volt.

It didn't take long for Michael and Crysta to become closer. The more Crysta kept his secret to herself, the more Michael trusted and confided in her. He even began to invite her over to his house for dinner, to which she gladly accepted. But Crysta couldn't help but notice the reproachful glare John threw at Michael a couple of times a day whenever they were together. She prayed that it didn't mean trouble.

After a few weeks, it finally happened. Michael drove Crysta home after dinner at his place (in disguise, of course). At her door, they said their goodnights and Crysta turned to go inside, taking out her keys in the process. But Michael suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her close, much to her surprise. He looked deep into her eyes and kissed her. Crysta dropped her bag and keys and wrapped her arms around his neck. They broke apart when they needed air and smiled at each other lovingly. Michael kissed Crysta again before leaving. Crysta leaned against the door and sighed dreamily as she watched him. She had never felt so in love before and who knew that it would be with Michael Jackson. She gathered her things from the ground and went inside the house, smiling to herself.

* * *

In the next couple of days, the trouble that Crysta was hoping to be non-existent began to brew. She came in at work one day and was chatting amongst the dancers when John appeared. Everyone fell silent and focused their attention on him.

"Guys, I've got some bad news: Michael called me to say that he can't come to work today so the shooting's cancelled," John announced.

"What?" a few of the dancers exclaimed in unison.

"Why?" Leah asked.

"I don't know; he didn't give a reason. You may go home but feel free to stay to rehearse," John replied as he left.

A buzz of anxiety rose in the room and Crysta pondered worriedly over the piece of news she had just received. It was extremely unlike Michael to miss a day of filming and the reason of his absence, he kept it hidden for some reason. This only made Crysta question whether something really bad happened.

As if to confirm her thoughts, Serena, another dancer, came running in the room with a newspaper in hand.

"You guys!" she exclaimed frantically, waving the newspaper. "Look at this!"

She gave it to Crysta, who took it and looked at the front page. The headline read, _Michael Jackson: man or animal?_ Right underneath were a few pictures of him in mid-transformation. Crysta gasped along with the others who read the paper over her shoulder but she knew that they weren't gasping for the same reason.

"Who started this rumor?" Marc exclaimed in shock.

"And these pictures…they have to be altered in some way!" Leah added frantically as the others nodded.

Crysta worked her mind furiously. She was glad that her new friends didn't believe the headline but she knew that others would. Who could have told? The only people who knew Michael's secret was John and herself.

John…Michael's words suddenly rang in Crysta's mind.

_John likes you, you know._

Suddenly, the pieces fell together. Michael's words, John's reproachful glared whenever she was with Michael and the sudden revealing of the secret, it all made sense. Crysta made a dash for the door, seething with fury.

"Crysta, where are you going?" Chris called out.

Crysta didn't care; she sped down the hallways, heading toward John's office. She ran past a few rather surprised crew members, some of them asking where she was going in such a hurry. She ignored them.

She arrived at the office and banged on the door with her fist. She heard John's voice calmly tell her to come in and she barged inside, finding him sitting at his desk. He smiled at her pleasantly, showing that he was happy to see her, and Crysta wanted nothing more than to slap that smile off his face. She slammed the door shut and came closer.

"Hello, Crysta. What brings you here?" John asked cheerfully.

"You traitor! He trusted you and you betrayed him with your selfish motives!" Crysta yelled angrily.

John stared at her for a few seconds before standing up. He made his way around his desk and approached Crysta, who stood her ground.

"So you know," John said. It wasn't a question.

"Yes," Crysta replied, looking at him dead in the eye.

"And I suppose he told you that I know?" John asked.

"How do you _think_ I know?" Crysta hissed through her teeth.

John nodded.

"I can't believe you did this for revenge. And how do you even know about Michael and me? We keep things strictly professional here!" Crysta demanded to know.

"Oh please. How could I not know! The other day he came to work with a goofy smile on his face which only increased every time he saw you!" John replied angrily. "And I didn't do it for revenge; I have a proposal for you."

"What _kind _of proposal?"

"Leave Michael and be with me and I'll call off the "rumor" I started."

Crysta was taken aback but quickly regained composure, her hands clenched into fists.

"Never! I love Michael, in case you haven't noticed!" she yelled at him. "He'll know it's you and his lawyers will be right on your tail!"

"Who's going to tell him?" John asked coldly.

"Take a wild guess," Crysta said.

She turned on her heels and raced for the door. But she wasn't quick enough; she felt John grab her arms and she was thrown to the ground. Crysta slowly sat up and found John's face inches from hers. He was furious and glared daggers at her.

"I don't think so. You're not going anywhere. If you're not going to come with me willingly then it looks like I'm going to have to make you," John snarled.

He yanked Crysta to her feet and slammed her against the wall. She cried out in pain as the back of her head hit a picture frame. John's grip on her was starting to grow tighter.

The door suddenly flew open and both John and Crysta looked to see who their new visitor was. But there was no one there. John dropped Crysta, who fell to the floor, and went to investigate.

"What the—?" he wondered aloud, approaching the door.

Suddenly, a big black panther came flying from the doorway, knocking John off his feet. It landed in front of Crysta, shielding her, and roared ferociously at John. Crysta immediately recognized the panther.

"_Michael!_" she exclaimed.

The feline turned its head and looked at her. Crysta saw relief in its eyes before returning its attention to John.

"Why you—! You think you can take me on as a panther?" John snapped angrily.

Michael growled, the fur on his back standing on end.

"Well, then, may the best man win!" John yelled, grabbing a picture frame from the wall.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Crysta suddenly said.

"Why not?" John demanded.

"Do you honestly think Michael came alone?" Crysta replied, pointing.

John turned around and found Michael's hulking security guards behind him. They grabbed him and dragged him out of the room. One of them paused at the doorway.

"We'll meet you in the car, Michael," he said.

Michael nodded as Crysta looked at him in astonishment. The guard left, leaving them alone. Michael turned to Crysta.

"Th-They know? You told them?" Crysta asked in disbelief.

Before replying, Michael transformed back into his regular self and looked at her in earnest.

"Yes, they had a right to know. They took it pretty well, in fact," he said.

He took a step closer and helped Crysta to her feet. He then pressed her tightly against him and she wrapped her arms around him, feeling safe.

"What were you thinking? You could've gotten seriously injured!" Michael exclaimed. His voice shook as he spoke and Crysta felt slightly ashamed for worrying him.

Suddenly, she realized something.

"How did you know what was happening?" Crysta asked, looking up at him.

"I always have been able to sense trouble. I don't know if it's me or animal instincts," Michael replied, kissing the top of her head.

"Forgive me, Michael. I didn't expect him to turn out to be a raging lunatic!" Crysta exclaimed, burying her face in his chest.

"You have nothing to be forgiven for. You did what you thought was right and for that I thank you," Michael said gently.

Crysta breathed a sigh of relief and got a whiff of the cologne he was wearing. She smiled.

"You smell nice," Crysta told him, pressing herself closer against him, feeling comfortable.

Michael's cheeks turned bright red and Crysta felt his heart beat faster through his chest. She looked up and smiled sweetly at him.

"Um, sorry," Michael said, swallowing hard. "I'm still new at being in love so my heart sets off at the tiniest little things."

"No need to apologize," Crysta said softly, his words making her happy. She placed herself on the tip of her toes and brushed her lips against his. Michael hardly felt them and wanted them on his lips. "It's a very good thing," she added.

Crysta pressed her lips against his and gently kissed him. Michael closed his eyes and returned the kiss. He undid her ponytail, which had started to fall out due to the fight, and entangled his hands in her hair. He then pulled away and kissed her neck. Crysta jumped in surprise but tilted her head back slightly.

"Mm, I want my personal physician to check you. You got a nasty hit on the head," Michael said, now kissing her jawline.

"What are you suggesting?" Crysta smiled.

"Want to head back to my place?" Michael asked.

"Sure!" Crysta giggled.

Michael pulled away from her and took her hand. They both walked out of the room and made their way out of the building.

They crossed the parking lot and found Michael's guards standing by his car. They nodded at the sight of him and slipped inside. Crysta was about to do the same when Michael stopped her.

"Crysta, can I ask you for a favor?" he asked.

"What is it, Michael?" she replied.

"Do you want to do an interview with me? You know, to blow off this whole "rumor" thing?" Michael asked hopefully. "I mean, I know that everyone will know about you if you do it but I thought that—"

"Yes," Crysta said, cutting him off.

"What did you say?" Michael replied, not believing his ears.

"Yes, I'll do it," Crysta repeated.

"Thank you," Michael said, relief in his tone. He then added, "I love you."

"I love you too," Crysta said, kissing his cheek.

Michael smiled and Crysta saw what John meant by him having a goofy smile and she loved it. They both climbed into the car and drove off to what will be Crysta's new home in the future.

_**The end**_

**Hope you liked it! Please review!**


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